Archive for October, 2013

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” It finally happened. I have arrived at a place where I must somewhat blindly ride through or turn around. I have been hearing the stories ever since I left Connecticut of impassable water crossings, but this is truly the […]

During this past year, we tested a wide range of motorcycles. Our editors have run around on a 700cc scooter, cruised on an Italian V-twin, traversed states on a liquid-cooled adventure bike, and crossed the country on a three-wheeled machine. All of the motorcycles seem to be leaders in their category, and some even excel […]

There are some similarities between the causes of plane crashes and the reasons for motorcycle accidents: it’s often a combination of factors, or risks, that cause incidents in both cases. And in both, the fundamental cause can usually be traced back to “human error.” Just as in doing a preflight check before flying your own […]

This past spring I bought a new Honda NC700X in order to get into a more upright riding position. I’d done a fair amount of riding on my friend Jim’s KLR, which has similar ergonomics, and found myself having a lot of fun. So I traded in my VFR and found myself enjoying rides from […]

As Nick and I crest hill after hill, we wonder how much further we should go for the day. It’s getting late, but we’re really hoping to get to the lake to camp. We have been driving through desert for the last three days, so camping next to some water would be a treat. Finally, […]

This is the letter I sent to my friends and family to explain the summer of my “disappearance.” It took a long time (with tremors) to write this, and I was not sure if I should share it with you at all. But, you’re all friends… right? After all, it’s not just about motorcycles. It’s […]

Ever have sudden clarity of thought which compels you to take immediate action to address a previously acceptable situation? I had exactly that happen recently while on a short summer’s evening ride on my Ducati 1000 Monster. I was returning home and life was good. And then it hit me, about ninety percent of my […]

A massive recall possibly affecting over 200,000 Suzuki GSX-R sportbikes has surfaced. The motorcycles affected are 2004-13 GSX-R 600s and GSX-R 750s and 2005-13 GSX-R 1000s. The issue arises when the owner neglects to change his or her brake fluid. The combination of old brake fluid and corrosion on the piston inside the front master […]

Have money to burn? Is the Ducati 1199 Panigale R a little too slow, heavy, and cheap for you? You’re in luck! Ducati has just announced the 2014 1199 Superleggera (super light in Italian), a highly exclusive, limited production version of the aforementioned 1199 Panigale. The Superleggera uses a variety of exotic (read expensive) materials […]

After traversing the Land of Oz (check out Australia’s Outback: The World’s Longest Shortcut in the Nov/Dec ’13 issue and Australia Part 2: Coasting Down Under in the upcoming Jan/Feb ’14 issue), Simon and Lisa took on New Zealand for a brief four-week visit before returning to the United States. The couple celebrated their tenth year […]

Lately we’ve been giving KTM’s new 1190 Adventure quite a bit of love, and its combination of power, dirt performance, and touring ability certainly warrants it, but how does it stack up against its predecessor? Check out Touratech’s video comparison below to find out. Want to receive free Touring Tips, reviews, deals and contests, […]

NineT, get it? Ok, so the name isn’t the cleverest way to commemorate a 90th anniversary, but the R nineT itself certainly looks to be. In RoadRUNNER’s Sept/Oct ‘13 issue we reported on BMW’s Concept 90 collaboration with Roland Sands, a bike that, while certainly interesting, had limited practicality and zero chance of production. Enter […]

I can still remember the first time I saw her. Dressed provocatively in Orange. She demanded my attention and got it. That was 2006 and “she” was a Buell XB12X otherwise known as a “Ulysses.” It has been several years since I first got “Uly fever” that day while attending a trade show, but for […]

As of October 16th, Harley-Davidson is issuing a recall for almost 30,000 bikes, mostly touring models, built between May 3rd and October 14th of this year. The bikes are afflicted with a hydraulic clutch issue that can sometimes prevent the clutch from disengaging making it difficult to slow and stop the bike. The recall is […]

Big Red’s odometer is ticking close to 70,000 miles and increasingly I find myself considering what will be next. I look at all types of bikes at the dealership and usually fantasize about making a change. The decision will be based in part on the commute I end up having as I am in the […]